Recycling event helps Earth, supports nonprofits

Meals by Grace, Feed the Hungry Forsyth, Family Haven and CHOA benefit

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The first of two community recycling events were held in the Windermere community parking lot this October.

Reaping Nature’s next community recycling event will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11 at The Ice at 1345 Atlanta Highway in Cumming.

Reaping Nature Educational Outreach Foundation, a Forsyth County nonprofit organization that provides environmental education programs for children and the public, hosted the event.

“We collected four trash bags of egg cartons, laundry detergent bottles and ‘Tupperware’ like containers with lids for Meals by Grace,” said Denise Carleton, Reaping Nature’s executive director. “Meals by Grace receives cases of eggs, and they need to subdivide them into cartons to give to families they support. They have a dedicated mom who makes big batches of laundry detergent to refill bottles with, and the ‘Tupperware’ like containers are used to put in fruit and other food items the organization receives. “

Family Haven, a Forsyth County nonprofit that has been providing services to victims of violence and their families since 1989, had their truck at the event to collect items for their thrift store now located on Veterans Memorial Highway in Cumming.

“We collected many lovely items at the event,” said Claudia Golden, Family Haven Thrift Store manager. “Some of the clothes collected will benefit our shelter for abused women and their children. Often, they flee with only the clothes on their backs.” Many cellphones were collected for Feed the Hungry Forsyth which is collecting cellphones to help raise money to fund their operation.

Loose change was collected to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Other electronic waste, totaling 2,212 pounds, was collected by Premier Surplus, which sponsored the event and works with Reaping Nature throughout the year.